Kings and Thieves

Chapter 7

*** yo If anyone's reading, I'm going to start posting prob like once a week, bc classes started In other words my life sucks now bye ***

Chapter 7

Lyla curled her fists neatly over her cheeks, her eyelashes crumbling open with effort.

There was a faded red quilt draped over her unfamiliar new bed. Patches of light scattered the end of it- white and warm, much unlike the scorching heat that Lyla had grown used to.

It was still startling to her to wake up on a pirate ship instead of in the palace. The noise, for example. The palace in Apreuna was usually quiet in the mornings, but it was rough voices and scattering footsteps that had woken her now; she realized, letting her hands drop to her mattress. The sounds were loud, but not angry, and Lyla swung her feet out of the bed.

She had retired early the evening before, unsure about spending more time with her strange new companions. They seemed agreeable enough, but this was the part that made her uneasy. Ari and Aveline were, in all fairness, dangerous and reckless thieves. Lyla had no idea what to expect from them.

Nervousness mingled with hunger in her stomach as she tiptoed down the dimmed hallway and towards the sunlight.

There was a flurry of activity out on the deck.

One of the ragged crewmembers was preparing to dive off the side of the ship while the others cheered him on. Inez was in the back, dutifully teaching the sword to one of the children Lyla recognized from the bottom deck. A few older, sweaty people were running in circles around the deck, and some others were tossing a heavy anchor back and forth.

Ari and Aveline were in the center of the chaos, sparring. They were breathing hard from the exertion, but both grinning as they dodged each other's quick, expert movements. Aveline threw a punch near Ari's jaw, her tanned fist moving so quickly that Lyla flinched in anticipation of the blow. But Ari ducked just in time, the top of his head just skimming her sleeve.

The noise didn't waver as Lyla approached, lifting a pale hand to shield her eyes from the sun. For a moment she simply stood and stared at the scene with unrestrained wonder at a collection of lives that were so different from hers. Less restrained, more loud and chaotic, but there was a certain liveliness and energy in their lifestyle that gave her pause.

"Well, look who's out and about."

Lyla started. It was Ari who had spoken, without looking away from his opponent. Aveline had grasped his wrists in a tightly locked position, a clear signal of a win.

Ari didn't seem disgruntled; he raised his eyebrows and Aveline, breathing heavily, let her hands fall to her sides.

Ari's boots clunked loudly on the salty slats of the ship as they approached. "Our own Sleeping Beauty... the title might even be appropriate if she'd brush her hair a bit more."

"Oh, hush. At least she brushes her hair at all, which is more than you can say for yourself," retorted Aveline, her hair and hips both swaying in equal motions as she skipped down the steps. She flashed Lyla a smile- it seemed genuine.

"Princess," acknowledged Inez who had put her sword to the side and was looking Lyla up and down with a disapproving twist to her lips.

"I'm not the..." Lyla sighed. "I only wanted to see how much longer we have until we reach the island."

"Feeling seasick, princess?" Ari looked up from the bandage he was tying around his wrist and winked. "Don't worry, you'll get a strong stomach soon enough. In the meantime, kindly refrain from vomiting on the floors. They're freshly mopped, you know."